Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1887-07-09
SEASIDE COTTAGE.
Scenes and SojOurners at Pleasant Sum-
mer Resort Near Boston.
BY JENNY JUNE.
lC1urilhted, ISL

tCopyrtghted. 1871
Names are often misnomers this is not.
The cottage in which am writing has the
sea on almost every side of it, and week or
two weeks, with the salt-sea air blowing in
at every windows an ocean trip without the
discomfort and with the great events of an
ocean voyage, viz, the sight of great steam
ers and the sight of land thrown in. For we
are here on the bay as well as the sea, and
no ship leaves Boston harbor that does not
sail majestically past Seaside Cottage and
fling salute from its pennant to the eyes
that watch it from the beach or the window.
Hull is now a summer resort, constantly
growing in importance because of its near
ness to Boston-less than an hours sail-but
was once little tishing-village, occupying
an island of itself, and quite isolated, not
only from the mainland of Boston, but
from that which now forms the rest of the
promontory, and known as the South
Shore" This shore-line constitutes the
beach of Nantasket, and upon it are the
towns of bingham, Cohasset, and the Coney
Island collection of hotels, pavilions, and
boarding houses of Nantasket. There was
always "bar' between Hull and Nantasket
but it was generally covered with water and
was only an obstacle to boats, wagons and
pedestrians. But violent storm arose.
and blew and drifted sand and stones to
such good purpose that when it was over
the roadway was found to have been formed
upon the bar and the permanent connection
established which has since made one town
ship of Hull and Nantasket, and gives to the
residents of the latter, our summer guests
an unbroken beach-side of five or six miles
upon firm and smooth sand and diversified
by curious and unusual blending of wide
sea views the breaking of the waters upon
theshore, and an English greenness of grass
and trees and uncovered walls.
Where you land at Hull there is pretty
clubhouse, with broad piazzas, from which
the members and their friends watch the
progress of regattas, and where once in two
weeks hop is given, which brings out the
pretty girls staying at the hotels-and
naturally the young men. On the sides of
the one street from the landing are the
hotels, the shops, and the postotfice, the
former supplemented during the summer by
dealers who come from Boston with tempt
ing confectionery and the like, but not as
yet with painted plaques and city millinery.
The shade hats and deep pokes occupy a
glass case in the grocery stores, and vary
from ten to twenty-five cents each. thought
one for the latter sum, trimmed it with
blue gauze veil, and put it on while waiting
for change" The "swelP' summer cottages
are upon Snow hill, which commands a
magnificent near and distant view, and an
active and ever-changing panorama.
In a cosy nook, near the bend of the road,
where you turn down to the shore road,
stands a cottage painted yellow, with brown
tiled roof which is the summer home of the
Boston poet-John Boyle O'Reilly-and his
family. 1t is closed now, for the summer
residents remain in town for the sake of its
early peas and strawberries, salad and as
paragus, and do not put in an appearance
until the first of July, just in time to escape
city pistol-shOoting and fire-crackers Hull
is proverbially healthy, and the proof of it
is that in pretty house little further along
lives an elderly residential man of seventy
seven years-who year ago married COM
paratively young wife and is now the proud
and happy father of a fine boy.
The road skirts the foot of hill, which
separates the village from the shore, and at
the foot of the water side of this hill stands
Seaside Cottage. The owner is a lady,
Miss Floretta Vining, the only daughter
of a leather merchant of Boston, who made
his winter home in Quincy, his summer
home in Hull, and spent his life in accumu-
lating. His daughter, who was devoted to
him while he lived, is now the second larg-
est property-owner in Hull, another lady,
Miss Sarah Jones, being the first. The policy
of Miss Jones is restrictive, of Miss Vining,
expansive. Miss Vining is well educated,
and model woman proprietor. She main
tains large and handsome establishment
and makes Improvements which will benefit
the public as well as herself, and is full of
ideas for laying out neglected grounds and
utilizing unused opportunities. She keeps
many persons employed, rising at five, and
getting through with her business CORE
spondence before breakfast which is at
seven. By half-past five she is often out in
the fields or on the chip with the men, d.
recting their operations for the day, or con-
sulting with her man of business as to the
details of property, which the active de-
mand and rise in prices have determined
her to put upon the market.
Miss Vining is not in her first youth,
but she is still young woman, with q
fine figure and bright, energetic face and
manners, which are very attractive. At pres
ent she is as happily situated as woman can
be in this world, but the element of uncer-
tainty about women makes it doubtful if she
will remain so. When a woman has done,
or is doing thing we'll, she usually stops
doing it, 1t is great comfort, however, to
find woman selfreliant, capable and am
bilious; not content to sit down and simply
use up what has been made by Others but
possessed of progressive and aspiring spirit
which sees and develops latent possibilities
and represents the dominant spirit of every
age-that of improvement
Telegraph hill has signal station and in
terssting historic significance. Upon it
French Notifications are still standing, sur
rounded by 'moat" but no drawbridge;
one must go round by the road therefore to
ascend Telegraph hill easy" But the road
has been beaten and trodden out of long
soft, fower-starred grass and great yellow
hearted daisies, wild feur de lys, butter
cups, pink and white clover, and the pretty